Breaking Free: A Zodiac Story

Chapter 30: Contradiction

"That's wrong. Y... you can't do that!" Pisces exclaimed, quickly shrinking away underneath Deimos' gaze. "You can't just... erase peoples' memories like that."

"I know." King Deimos said simply. "But it was the best for... most of us. If we had just separated the four elements and left their memories intact, it wouldn't be long before some foolhardy children would try 'find' their friends again. Better to let them think they never had said friends at all... and let them imagine what horrors lay beyond the wall. Does that answer all of your questions?"

Silence filled the air. Then, finally, a voice spoke; but it was not one of theirs. "I see."

Everyone spun around, except for King Deimos, who merely raised an eyebrow. "I was wondering how long you'd sit there listening to our conversation."

"I apologise." The face was unfamiliar, yet... it resembled someone the eleven elementals recognised. "I would've spoken earlier, but... I found your conversation very interesting, King Deimos." The woman curtsied.

"Who is she?" Aries spoke up, eyes narrowing. "She... she reminds me of -"

"Ah." The woman's eyes flickered over to Aries. "You... you must be Aries. And the other boy... Scorpio." She glanced over at Scorpio, who was scowling. "You two killed my mother."

Aidan made a startled, choked noise, but said nothing. The other zodiacs shifted uneasily, flashing each other worried looks.

"I should be angry..." The woman mused, "but I'm not. Not anymore."

"Who are you?" Aries echoed, still looking uneasy, but his voice lacked the sharpness it originally had.

"I am Prin - Queen Eione, and Queen Galatea's only acce- remaining heir." The woman fixed them with her startlingly familiar blue eyes. "I came here to deal with the issue with my army, but it appears to have been... dealt with." She glanced behind her and swept her hand upwards. "I suppose my army is not needed anymore."

The air shimmered and the fog that had somehow settled around them without their awareness was lifted, revealing hundreds - possibly thousands - of soldiers in blue and silver, both male and female.

"I suppose I could ask for your execution, for the murder of a member of the royal family." Queen Eione continued. "But I believe this... is punishment enough. The death of a friend, and... and I suppose, we have you to thank for the death of this so called 'Ophiuchus'."

"Queen Eione." King Deimos gave the water elemental queen a short bow. "I am honoured that you have graced us with your presence. I suppose your mother never told you about Ophiuchus."

"No, she has not." Eione frowned. "Was my memory wiped, as well?"

"I'm afraid so." King Deimos lowered his head. "I suppose an apology is necessary."

"You are not the only one to blame... and your motives were... honest, I suppose. You were trying to do the best you could in that situation, and I cannot blame you." Eione was silent for a moment longer. "Well... I suppose my trip here was for nothing."

"Actually, no, it wasn't." Another voice boomed.

"Oh, great." Deimos muttered.

King Terrest came ambling over from the other direction. However, to their surprise, he was also supporting a woman, who was leaning heavily against him for support.

"Terrest. And... Cordelia. I did not expect to see you here." Deimos stated. "I'm afraid -"

"I know." The quiet voice of Cordelia cracked just slightly. "My dreams became so vivid... and I realised that I was not merely dreaming. My first vision in years..." She focused her stormy grey eyes on the eleven elementals. "And..."

"Leo. The poor guy... I kinda liked him, you know." Terrest offered unhelpfully. Sagittarius sent him a glare.

"His sacrifice will be honoured." Queen Eione murmured. "He... he brought down Ophiuchus."

"I suppose it's over." Terrest did a one-armed shrug (as his other arm was occupied with supporting Cordelia). "This long wait for the apocalypse... I guess there's nothing to hide from anymore. And the wall's gone, so..."

"Ether." Cordelia said. Her voice was so quiet, it was barely a whisper - but it was enough to shut Terrest up. Cordelia straightened up slightly, wincing, and spoke again. "Ether. The element that fills the void. The element... that is the void itself. Taking its abilities, its attributes, from our four elements. So powerful... that an elemental of that element could take life from everyone around themselves... enough to kill them. Yet... so powerful, that... an ether elemental could do the opposite."

"W-what?" Capricorn whispered, shock evident in his voice. "B-"

"Shut up," Taurus hissed back, though not unkindly, giving him a tiny shove.

"Ether was a contradiction in itself. How could an element... be of nothing, yet be the strongest out of our five? It could turn logic and laws upside on their heads. It could bring peace... and destroy it. To take life... and give it back." She turned her gaze to the other three rulers, and the teenagers standing by Deimos.

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back to gaze up at the sky. "My visions... split off to a thousand different paths before this point. There were hundreds, where Ophiuchus won. Hundreds, where he lost. Hundreds, where he never existed. And yet, we're here, at another point of a thousand crossroads. Hundreds... where what happens depends on what you choose. What you say."

She opened her eyes and turned back to the rulers. "For all the lives they have taken... do you think he deserves a second chance?"

"What?" Deimos finally spoke, his eyes narrowing. "You mean... the boy Leo?"

Cordelia knelt and sifted a hand through the dirt. "The presence of ether still remains. It cannot be gotten rid of, yet... it is at its strongest here. And this is one of the only points in time... where this might be able to happen. With so many elementals, and the life force of an ether elemental... I give you a choice. Use this single chance to bring back the fire elemental... bring back someone else, possibly a loved one... or leave it."

"L -" Sagittarius began, but Cordelia shushed her. "It is for the rulers to decide, I'm afraid. Only their powers together may bring back one person... to trade for the life force of an ether elemental."

Deimos, Terrest and Eione all shared glances, as if unsure of what to say first - for once.

"Well, Galatea..." Terrest began.

"No... my mother... I loved her." Eione rushed, "But... I..."

"If we had one chance... shouldn't we bring back someone... someone who can change this place for the better? A powerful ancestor, perhaps?" Deimos offered.

The eleven elementals shared devastated glances.

"So... after all we've - Leo's - done... we don't get to choose?" Aquarius growled. "He -"

Cordelia glanced at them for a brief second, but said nothing.

"I'm sorry." Blaise muttered, patting Sagittarius - who was closest to her - on the shoulder. "I guess life isn't fair, after all."

Sagittarius gritted her teeth and said nothing.

"Is there nothing we can do to persuade them?" Libra said softly, glancing over at Cordelia - who was staring at them again.

"I guess not." Aidan let loose a breath and sat down on the ground. "I'm sorry, guys, really. Leo... he did so much for us. But... not to be rude, or anything, but you guys have caused a lot of chaos, even while saving the world. The rulers probably don't really like you guys..."

"Thanks for being so optimistic." Scorpio remarked sarcastically.

Aidan looked like he was about to say something, but bit back his retort and just looked over at the rulers, who appeared to be... arguing. "I guess there's nothing we can do but sit and wait."